Be sim Ab we Weld we Menfes Quudus ahado Amlak. Amen.
This is a compilation of lessons about Holy Tradition from our brother Dn. Teklebrhan from the St. Mary Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo church of Columbus, OH. Psalms 66:1 "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds You did in their days, in days of old."
" Tradition is the handing down orally of customs, beliefs, stories, etc...from generation to generation" (Webster's New World Dictionary) Holy Tradition is the spiritual teaching we have inherited from the holy apostles and church fathers. Tradition is divine, apostolic or patriarchal. the word "tradition" comes from the latin word "traditio", which is a translation of a Greek word used frequently in the Scriptures, Paradosis. Translated literally, this word means something that is handed on from one person to another, in the same way that a baton is handed over in a relay race.
Something that is "traditioned" is passed from one person or group of people to another. Tradition means an experience, an entire life-not simply a series of teachings, but the living out of those teachings that have come from God who has revealed Himself to us. Tradition is the thing out of the revelation of God by His people. In other words, Holy tradition is the ongoing life of God's people.
Holy Tradition can be seen in three different stages.
1. Pre-written scripture
2. In the Old Testament (Post written Scripture)
3. In the New Testament
Psalms 66:1 "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds You did in their days, in days of old."
1. Holy Tradition existed even before the written scripture. Almost two thousand years had passed since the creation of Adam and eve untill the written law was given to Moses the prophet. During this long period of time, Tradition was the only source of knowledge about God and His commandments. This Holy Tradition was being transmitted faithfully from one generation to
the other. During this period, holy men and women (Abel, Enoch, Methusulah, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Melchizedek, Lot, Isaac, Rebeccah, Jacob, Rachel, etc...) pleased God with their righteous lives and have been considered as examples for us to learn from and follow. (Hebrews 11:1-29; 1 peter 3:1-6).
Even after Holy Scriptures came into existance, God emphasized the role of Holy Tradition as He commanded the fathers to hand over verbally the teachings and stories they knew to their children (Exodus 13:14-16; Deuteronomy 4:9). This is also evident from the words of King David , Psalms 66:1 "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds You did in their days, in days of old."
Examples
Genesis 4:4
It is mentioned that Abel offered to God a sacrifice from his best sheep and St. Paul said, (Hebrew 11:6) "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain". Now Abel lived 1400 years (14 centuries) before the written commandments. Then where did he get that faith? How did he learn about offering animal sacrifices? Surely from his father Adam who recieved it from God Himself. (Genesis 3:21).
Notice that cain who violated the Holy Tradition of offering sacrifices was refused. (Genesis 4:5)
In the same manner, our fathers Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and also Job knew the offering of animal sacrifices and building altars through the Holy Tradition before the written Law. Moreover, they even distinguished the clean animals from the unclean ones (Genesis 8:20 and 9:3-6)
Humans were created vegetarians (Genesis 1:29) then God's permission to eat meat was verbally spread. Also, the punishment of killers by death penalty was spread by Holy Tradition before the written Law.
(Genesis 14:18-20) These verses call Melchizedek the priest of God and Abraham gives him a tithe. How did they know the priesthood and the commandment of giving the tithe? In the same manner, Jacob said to God, (Gen 28:22) "and all You give me I will surely give a tenth to You". Remeber that there was no written commandment to give ten percent at the time, the only explanation is Holy Tradition.
(Exodus: 16:27-28) The commandment of keeping the Sabbath was known and transmitted through Holy Tradition because it was not written into law by Moses untill two weeks after the above incident.
(Matthew 9:35, Mark 1:21 and 6:2, Luke 4:15 and 13:22 and 19:47), Question to ponder: many times we read in the Holy Gospels about our Lord Jesus Christ teaching the people in the synagogues but the Holy Bible did not document any of these blessed teachings. Did all these Divine teachings just vanish? It has been said that all that is written in the Holy Gospels cumulatively, would only cover 18 days in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. His ministry was approximately 3 years (3 x 365=1095 days). what about the missing 1077 days? Where are the writings of over 99% of His ministry?
It is written that our Lord Jesus Christ remained with His disciples 40 days after His resurrection "speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). But the Holy Book of Acts doesn't reveal what our LOrd said. Does this mean that we have no access to these pertaining to the Kingdom of God? St. Jacob wrote only one short Holy Epistle that probably took one hour of his time, St. Jude left us a very short Holy Epistle that might have taken half an hour to write, and St. Peter left is two short Holy Epistles. Where are the rest of their blessed teachings? Where are the teachings of the rest of the Apostles?
2. Holy Tradion in the New Testament
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not write a book, He did not document His blessed teachings on paper, but He chose His disciples who accompanied Him day and night. They absorbed His teachings and learned directly from Him. He sent them to teach the whole world and to make disciples of all nations.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19). Making disciples is based primarily on direct contact with the person and verbal teaching:
-St. Paul said to his disciple Timothy, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me." )1 Timothy 1:13.
-St. Paul said to the Philippians, "Brethern, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us as a pattern" Philippians 3:17 and "The things which you learned and recieved and heard and saw in me, these do Philippians 4:9
-and to the Corinthians, St. Paul said, "For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me" 1 Corinthians 4:15-16
- St. Paul also said to his disciple Timothy, "the things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" 2 Timothy 2:2
Christianity is therefore a religion that is Holy Tradition -bound and is strongly committed to discipleship. No wonder, then, that the Apostles preferred verbal teaching to the written on:
Genesis 17:9-14
God gave our father Abraham the commandment of circumcision and it spread by Holy Tradition from one generation to the next.
Genesis 28:17-18
Our father Jacob called the place where he saw his dream "the house of God". He also took a stone, set it up as a pillar and poured oil on it. How was he familiar with the term "house of God" and how did he know about the consecration of the houses of God by pouring oil? Again, only the existance of Holy Tradition explains this.
Genesis 39:7-10
Joseph the righteous knew that adultry was 'a great wickedness' through Holy Tradition long before Moses the Prophet wrote the seventh commandment.
Exodus 16:27-28
The commandment of keeping the sabbath was known and transmitted through holy tradition.
-St Paulsaid to the Corinthians, "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but in tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart" (1 corinthians 3:3)
- St. John said, 'having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full (2 John 12), Also "I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face" (3 john 13)
- st Paul said to the Corinthians, "The rest I will set in order when I come." (1 Corinthians 11:34)
-St Paul said to his disciple Titus, "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking." (Titus 1:5)
-The apostles wrote to the gentiles saying, "we have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will report the same things by word of mouth" (Acts 15:27). So even though they wrote a letter they sent two men in order to convey the same message verbally.
-St John said "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25)
-St Peter said "I have written to you briefly" (1 Peter 5:12)
Examples
Matthew 2:23
St Matthew quoted a prophecy about our Lord Jesus Christ that was not written in any of the Old Testament Holy Books but was transmitted from one generation to the other through Holy Tradition.
Acts 20:35
St Paul quoted the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "it is more blessed to give than to recieve" which are not written in any of the four Holy Gospels but were known by Holy Tradition. Also (1 Corinthians 7:10 and 9:14).
2 Timothy 3:8
St Paul mentioned the names of the two Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses the Prophet. These names are not mentioned in the Old Testament but were known by Holy Tradition. (Hebrew 12:21) St Paul described how the people recieved the Law and how the mountain was blazing with fire. Then he wrote "Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling". These words ascribed to Moses the Prophet are not mentioned in the Old Testament.
Jude 9
St Jude mentioned the dispute between the Archangel Michael and Satan regarding the body of Moses the Prophet. None of this was mentioned in the Old Testament but again was known through Holy Tradition.
Jude 14-15
St Jude mentioned a prophecy by Enoch not written in the Old Testament but was known through Holy Tradition
Revelations 2:14
Our Lord Jesus Christ quoted from Holy Tradition when He explained the details of Balaam's perversion, which are not stated in Numbers 23-24. It was only mentioned that the children of Israel committed sexual immorality, but it was not mentioned that it was due to Balaam's advice to Balak. Also 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11 quoted the same from Holy Tradition.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Who are the Apostles?
And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve, whom He also named apostles." (Lk 6: 13)
The 12 Apostles were a group of men hand chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to bear witness to the Word of God and to preach the Word to the multitudes of the world. In the Holy Gospel of St. Mark, he states that the Lord Jesus Christ "appointed 12, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons" (3:14-15). Based on the word of Jesus Christ they are the light of the world.
The twelve apostles formed the inner core of the Lord Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. They had the power of working miracles, and were inspired to teach and to do extraordinary mission work. On the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down on them and they became great, giving witness with the power of the life and death and the resurrection of Jesus as He declared they should.
The apostles served the Lord Jesus and later provided leadership to the first generation Christian believers. They were of such importance that the word "apostle" occurs approximately seventy-nine times in the New Testament. Acts of the Apostles portrays the apostles as leaders of the first church in Jerusalem during the Church's first decade. The apostles truly established the church and with their fast we contemplate the glory of God, their faith, and hardships in which they overcame. Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ took the persecution and death for His Name's sake and they gladly suffered it until their death.
Peter
Simon became a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ the day that the Lord Jesus made him a "fisher of men." The Lord Jesus Christ changed Simon's name to Peter, which means rock" (John 1:41-42). This man known as a "rock" later became one of the most influential of the Apostles, as he converted three thousand souls to Christianity after his first sermon (Acts 2). He was eventually martyred in Rome by being crucified upside down, for he did not feel that he was worthy to die in the same manner the Lord Jesus Christ died in.
St. James and St. John (Brothers)
St. James, who also became a "fisher of men," was the first of the 12 Apostles to be martyred. He was beheaded in 44 A.D. Jerusalem under the rule of Herod (Act 12:2). However, while St. James was the first to become a martyr, his brother St. John was the last to die. St. John is believed to have died a peaceful death at an old age in Ephesus, after he completed the Holy Book of Revelations. St. John was the only one to stay with the Lord Jesus Christ through all His trials and tribulations, and was made the caretaker of St Mary by the Lord Jesus while He was on the Holy Cross (John 19:25-27).
St. John wrote 1 Gospel, 3 Epistle and one Revelation.
St. Andrew
St. Andrew was also a fisherman and the brother of St. Peter. St. Andrew was known to bring many people to the Lord Jesus Christ, as he also brought St. Peter to the Lord Jesus Christ after hearing St. John the Baptist call the Lord Jesus "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). St. Andrew preached in what is known today as Russia and moved on to Istanbul, Turkey, and then to Greece. While in Patros, Greece, Andrew became a martyr on December 4 of 60 A.D. He was crucified in a cross that has a form of "X".
St Philip
St Philip, from Bethsaida, was present on that day in which St Peter and St Andrew met with the Lord Jesus Christ. As the word spread about the Lord Jesus being the Messiah, St. Philip became a follower as the Lord Jesus Christ said to him, "Follow Me" (John 1:43). St. Philip preached in Asia Minor and was martyred at the age of 87 in Hieropolis.
St. Thomas
St. Thomas is known to be the one who doubted the Lord Jesus Christ and needed physical proof of His Resurrection (John 20:27). St. Thomas preached in Babylon, Persia, and made his way to India, where he also became a martyr.
St. Bartholomew
Most people confused him with St. Nathanael. St. Bartholomew preached with St. Peter in Asia Minor. At last when the rulers saw people are giving more attention to St. Bartholomew, they put him in sack full of sand and throw him in ocean. He died on September 1.
St. Matthew
St. Matthew also called Levi; use to be a tax-collector in Capernaum before he became a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, `Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him" (Matthew 9:9). After receiving his commission, he remained in the Holy Land. He has also came and peach in Agazit (Eritrea and Ethiopia) land and went back to philistine where he was beheaded and receive his martyrdom. Some people blieve he was killed in Agazit land, but this is totally wrong.
St. James, Wrote one epistle containing five chapters
St. James the son of Alphaeus, was St. Matthew's brother and known to be the younger St. James. He wrote the Holy Epistle of James and was possibly the first Bishop of the Syrian Church. He was eventually martyred by stoning in Jerusalem.
St. Thaddaeus
St. Thaddaeus also known as Jude, is the brother of James. St. Thaddaeus preached to Armenia, Syria and northern Persia, and was later martyred in Kara Kalisa.
St. Simon
St. Simon the Cananite, also known as Nathanael, is the last of the original Apostles commissioned to preach He was told the news of the Lord Jesus Christ being the Messiah by St. Philip. He also believed and followed the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:45-51. He w as killed by the Egyptian kind.
St. Matthias
St. Matthias is the 12th Apostle, who was not directly chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostles chose him to be the replacement for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached in Armenia.
The 12 Apostles were a group of men hand chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to bear witness to the Word of God and to preach the Word to the multitudes of the world. In the Holy Gospel of St. Mark, he states that the Lord Jesus Christ "appointed 12, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons" (3:14-15). Based on the word of Jesus Christ they are the light of the world.
The twelve apostles formed the inner core of the Lord Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. They had the power of working miracles, and were inspired to teach and to do extraordinary mission work. On the Feast of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down on them and they became great, giving witness with the power of the life and death and the resurrection of Jesus as He declared they should.
The apostles served the Lord Jesus and later provided leadership to the first generation Christian believers. They were of such importance that the word "apostle" occurs approximately seventy-nine times in the New Testament. Acts of the Apostles portrays the apostles as leaders of the first church in Jerusalem during the Church's first decade. The apostles truly established the church and with their fast we contemplate the glory of God, their faith, and hardships in which they overcame. Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ took the persecution and death for His Name's sake and they gladly suffered it until their death.
Peter
Simon became a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ the day that the Lord Jesus made him a "fisher of men." The Lord Jesus Christ changed Simon's name to Peter, which means rock" (John 1:41-42). This man known as a "rock" later became one of the most influential of the Apostles, as he converted three thousand souls to Christianity after his first sermon (Acts 2). He was eventually martyred in Rome by being crucified upside down, for he did not feel that he was worthy to die in the same manner the Lord Jesus Christ died in.
St. James and St. John (Brothers)
St. James, who also became a "fisher of men," was the first of the 12 Apostles to be martyred. He was beheaded in 44 A.D. Jerusalem under the rule of Herod (Act 12:2). However, while St. James was the first to become a martyr, his brother St. John was the last to die. St. John is believed to have died a peaceful death at an old age in Ephesus, after he completed the Holy Book of Revelations. St. John was the only one to stay with the Lord Jesus Christ through all His trials and tribulations, and was made the caretaker of St Mary by the Lord Jesus while He was on the Holy Cross (John 19:25-27).
St. John wrote 1 Gospel, 3 Epistle and one Revelation.
St. Andrew
St. Andrew was also a fisherman and the brother of St. Peter. St. Andrew was known to bring many people to the Lord Jesus Christ, as he also brought St. Peter to the Lord Jesus Christ after hearing St. John the Baptist call the Lord Jesus "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). St. Andrew preached in what is known today as Russia and moved on to Istanbul, Turkey, and then to Greece. While in Patros, Greece, Andrew became a martyr on December 4 of 60 A.D. He was crucified in a cross that has a form of "X".
St Philip
St Philip, from Bethsaida, was present on that day in which St Peter and St Andrew met with the Lord Jesus Christ. As the word spread about the Lord Jesus being the Messiah, St. Philip became a follower as the Lord Jesus Christ said to him, "Follow Me" (John 1:43). St. Philip preached in Asia Minor and was martyred at the age of 87 in Hieropolis.
St. Thomas
St. Thomas is known to be the one who doubted the Lord Jesus Christ and needed physical proof of His Resurrection (John 20:27). St. Thomas preached in Babylon, Persia, and made his way to India, where he also became a martyr.
St. Bartholomew
Most people confused him with St. Nathanael. St. Bartholomew preached with St. Peter in Asia Minor. At last when the rulers saw people are giving more attention to St. Bartholomew, they put him in sack full of sand and throw him in ocean. He died on September 1.
St. Matthew
St. Matthew also called Levi; use to be a tax-collector in Capernaum before he became a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, `Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him" (Matthew 9:9). After receiving his commission, he remained in the Holy Land. He has also came and peach in Agazit (Eritrea and Ethiopia) land and went back to philistine where he was beheaded and receive his martyrdom. Some people blieve he was killed in Agazit land, but this is totally wrong.
St. James, Wrote one epistle containing five chapters
St. James the son of Alphaeus, was St. Matthew's brother and known to be the younger St. James. He wrote the Holy Epistle of James and was possibly the first Bishop of the Syrian Church. He was eventually martyred by stoning in Jerusalem.
St. Thaddaeus
St. Thaddaeus also known as Jude, is the brother of James. St. Thaddaeus preached to Armenia, Syria and northern Persia, and was later martyred in Kara Kalisa.
St. Simon
St. Simon the Cananite, also known as Nathanael, is the last of the original Apostles commissioned to preach He was told the news of the Lord Jesus Christ being the Messiah by St. Philip. He also believed and followed the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:45-51. He w as killed by the Egyptian kind.
St. Matthias
St. Matthias is the 12th Apostle, who was not directly chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostles chose him to be the replacement for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached in Armenia.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
On the Second Temple...
I will try to summarize what was said last Friday. The topic of discussion was "what is TEMPLE OF GOD". The group has come with four types which could be called as temple of God. Atemple is A place where God is totally praised and worshiped [Isaiah 56:4, Matt 13:1.]
1. The temple of God in the sky [in Ariam, one of the seven skies where God is praised and worshiped by seraphim and cherubim].
Isaiah 6:1-4 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" The prophet was talking about the temple in Ariam.
Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
In this verse we understand that there is a temple in the heaven and it has also His covenant "Tabot" in it. this is one of the main reasons why we still have a Tabot in our church. If the Heavenly church has one, why on earth shouldn't we keep it?! however, In the discussion the presence of Tabot after the New testament was a big issue. Based on the view of other "Christians" groups, there were arguments against keeping the Tabot after New testament. The answer has already answered in the above verse. 1. If God didn't want us to have Tabot, why does Evangelist John wrote saying he saw one in the Heavenly church (Revelation 11:19). 2. There is no word in the bible that says we don't need the Covenant of God any more. Instead, God in His words says:-
Ephesians 2:20. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.
Tabot was first given to our Father Mussie, and God made this covenant as a foundation of His church when he came to earth.
Matthew 5:17. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
In the above two verses we understand that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came to fulfill the prophet that were told by our forefathers not to wipe out what He laid as a basic foundation of the Holy church during Old Testament.. Therefore, we can say that having a Tabot in a church is His word and His will, and we can easily say a a building with out the Tabot, His Covenant, is not a temple of God. To call a building a church, it must have TABOT.
2. The second temple of God is a building that has His covenant, Tabot in it [Earthly Holy Church, like our Holy Church].
King Solomon was the first who built the first building as a temple of God. Every body has to know that it is the Tabot that make the building a church. The first one who thought to build a house for the ark of the God was Kind David.
Psalm 132:2 How he swore to the Lord, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: "Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."
2 Samuel 7. The king (David) said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains." Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. However, King David couldn’t build it for he had committed a Sin. However, God promised him. "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
From above two verses one can understand that King David was thinking to build a house to the Ark of God Covenant, not just a building for worshiping. Then his son, King Solomon built the house of God.
1 King 8:20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt."
As his father wished Kind Solomon built the temple dividing it into three parts where he put the Ark of Covenant in the holiest of holy.
Referring temple of God on earth in the New Testament:-
John 2:14-16 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
3. Holy people also can be called as a temple of God.
1 Corinthians 3: 16. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
We can call a person as a temple of God only when God’s Sprit are dwelling in them, like Saints. A person who defies and break God’s law can not be a temple. In order to be called a Temple of God one has to have fruit of the Holy Sprit which are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.."( Galatians 5:22-23).
4. Holiest of Holy virgin Mary ( her womb) is also a temple of God.
In order to understand this, one should remember what make a building a temple. It is the Tabot, His Ark of covenant. Tabot is a Word of God written on a two plate given to our Father Moses. By the same talk, A Word of God came and become Human and God in St Marry womb (John 1:1, 1:7 , ). King David explains this as "God has chosen Her to be His resting place forever; He has desired Her Womb for His dwelling place (Psalm 132 13 -15 ). In short, since a word of God, Jesus Christ came and rest in Her womb, the Womb is like a Tabot which has God’s word too. Therefore, if a building which has Tabot can be called a Temple of God, by the same talk we can say St Mary who has bear the Word of God in Her womb is a Temple of God too. [not alone She, who bears our Lord Jesus Christ in Her womb, we sinner are being called as a temple of God].
5. The gathering ( Congregation) of Christians and Angles is also called as a Temple of God.
Ephesians 2: 19-22. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The gathering of Christians on the earth and Angles in Heaven to praise and worship God is also considered as a temple of God, because God’s Sprit dwell on those who gather to worship and adoration his name.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
God Bless all of us
Hawkum Dn medhanie
1. The temple of God in the sky [in Ariam, one of the seven skies where God is praised and worshiped by seraphim and cherubim].
Isaiah 6:1-4 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" The prophet was talking about the temple in Ariam.
Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
In this verse we understand that there is a temple in the heaven and it has also His covenant "Tabot" in it. this is one of the main reasons why we still have a Tabot in our church. If the Heavenly church has one, why on earth shouldn't we keep it?! however, In the discussion the presence of Tabot after the New testament was a big issue. Based on the view of other "Christians" groups, there were arguments against keeping the Tabot after New testament. The answer has already answered in the above verse. 1. If God didn't want us to have Tabot, why does Evangelist John wrote saying he saw one in the Heavenly church (Revelation 11:19). 2. There is no word in the bible that says we don't need the Covenant of God any more. Instead, God in His words says:-
Ephesians 2:20. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.
Tabot was first given to our Father Mussie, and God made this covenant as a foundation of His church when he came to earth.
Matthew 5:17. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
In the above two verses we understand that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came to fulfill the prophet that were told by our forefathers not to wipe out what He laid as a basic foundation of the Holy church during Old Testament.. Therefore, we can say that having a Tabot in a church is His word and His will, and we can easily say a a building with out the Tabot, His Covenant, is not a temple of God. To call a building a church, it must have TABOT.
2. The second temple of God is a building that has His covenant, Tabot in it [Earthly Holy Church, like our Holy Church].
King Solomon was the first who built the first building as a temple of God. Every body has to know that it is the Tabot that make the building a church. The first one who thought to build a house for the ark of the God was Kind David.
Psalm 132:2 How he swore to the Lord, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: "Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."
2 Samuel 7. The king (David) said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains." Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. However, King David couldn’t build it for he had committed a Sin. However, God promised him. "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
From above two verses one can understand that King David was thinking to build a house to the Ark of God Covenant, not just a building for worshiping. Then his son, King Solomon built the house of God.
1 King 8:20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt."
As his father wished Kind Solomon built the temple dividing it into three parts where he put the Ark of Covenant in the holiest of holy.
Referring temple of God on earth in the New Testament:-
John 2:14-16 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
3. Holy people also can be called as a temple of God.
1 Corinthians 3: 16. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
We can call a person as a temple of God only when God’s Sprit are dwelling in them, like Saints. A person who defies and break God’s law can not be a temple. In order to be called a Temple of God one has to have fruit of the Holy Sprit which are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.."( Galatians 5:22-23).
4. Holiest of Holy virgin Mary ( her womb) is also a temple of God.
In order to understand this, one should remember what make a building a temple. It is the Tabot, His Ark of covenant. Tabot is a Word of God written on a two plate given to our Father Moses. By the same talk, A Word of God came and become Human and God in St Marry womb (John 1:1, 1:7 , ). King David explains this as "God has chosen Her to be His resting place forever; He has desired Her Womb for His dwelling place (Psalm 132 13 -15 ). In short, since a word of God, Jesus Christ came and rest in Her womb, the Womb is like a Tabot which has God’s word too. Therefore, if a building which has Tabot can be called a Temple of God, by the same talk we can say St Mary who has bear the Word of God in Her womb is a Temple of God too. [not alone She, who bears our Lord Jesus Christ in Her womb, we sinner are being called as a temple of God].
5. The gathering ( Congregation) of Christians and Angles is also called as a Temple of God.
Ephesians 2: 19-22. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The gathering of Christians on the earth and Angles in Heaven to praise and worship God is also considered as a temple of God, because God’s Sprit dwell on those who gather to worship and adoration his name.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
God Bless all of us
Hawkum Dn medhanie
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Miracles of Arc Angel Michael from the Bible...
<-- ARC ANGEL MICAEL And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12
Joshua, the son of Nun, saw him in great glory and was frightened by him and fell on his face to the earth and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" So he said, "No; but as Commander of the army of the Lord (Michel)... I have given Jericho into your hand, and its king." (Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2)
And the Angel of God (Michel), who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. Exodus 14
Then the Angel of the Lord(Michael) answered and said, "O Lord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?" And the Lord answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words. Zechariah 1
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me…………….No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince Daniel 10
At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; Daniel 12
Therefore we Tewahdoian, waiting and believing His and other Angles protection, request their prayers, blessing, and set feasts in their names, especially the Arc Angle Michael, Gabriel, Urael, and Raphael, the four Living creatures, the twenty-four incorporeal priests etc.
Arc angle Michel's intercession be for us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
Hawkum Dn medhanie
Source: Coptic website and Miracles of Michel.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Meaning of the Cross in the Eritrean Tewahdo Church...
In The Name of the Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit, One God. Amen!
The most important sacrament of our Church, and one of the most frequently used, is the sign of the cross. Whenever we use it, we are reminded of the sufferings and death of our Blessed Saviour. It is the symbol of our deliverance and the emblem of the mercy of God giving redemption to sinful man. It is made from above downward and from left to right with fingers in the form of a cross. No ceremony in liturgy is performed without the sign of the cross. A priest confers blessings by the cross. In administration of all the sacraments, this sign is employed many times. The sign of the cross is made over water at its blessing. In the Holy Liturgy or Mass, the celebrant makes the sign of the cross very frequently over the people, the Sacred Host, and the Precious Blood. The Church teaches that the cross is a summary of the faith and salvation. It reminds us that we are the brethren of Jesus Christ and it is our strong weapon in our fight against evil. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church teaches the faithful to venerate the cross. It is one of the insignia of the ordained clergy. A priest or a bishop always holds it in his right hand and offers it to the faithful who kiss it with deep recollective piety.
The faithful use the cross as a pious decoration and understand its devotional value. They proclaim their love for it in various ways. Primarily, a cross is attached to a cord or fine chain, and is worn around the neck by all Christians from childhood until death. The faithful also adorn their clothes and ornaments with marks of the cross. They bear cross-shaped tattoos on their foreheads, their chests, around their necks and their arms.
After death, a cross made out from wood, metal or stone is placed over graves to show that the cross is not only a symbol of death and suffering, but also a sign of resurrection and life.
Those who use the cross with out piety and only for its decorative value have lost its true meaning. Crosses used in this manner are as worthless as the crosses used to crucify the two convicted robbers on either side of Jesus. They had no healing powers.
The true, genuine and holy veneration, the grandeur, magnificence and solemnity with which Eritrean Christians treat the cross will never be realized by any one unless he/she witnesses the ancient and ageless holiday of MESQUEL(Cross).
ርሑስ በዓል መስቀል።
May the love of the Cross be with all of us!!!!
The most important sacrament of our Church, and one of the most frequently used, is the sign of the cross. Whenever we use it, we are reminded of the sufferings and death of our Blessed Saviour. It is the symbol of our deliverance and the emblem of the mercy of God giving redemption to sinful man. It is made from above downward and from left to right with fingers in the form of a cross. No ceremony in liturgy is performed without the sign of the cross. A priest confers blessings by the cross. In administration of all the sacraments, this sign is employed many times. The sign of the cross is made over water at its blessing. In the Holy Liturgy or Mass, the celebrant makes the sign of the cross very frequently over the people, the Sacred Host, and the Precious Blood. The Church teaches that the cross is a summary of the faith and salvation. It reminds us that we are the brethren of Jesus Christ and it is our strong weapon in our fight against evil. The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church teaches the faithful to venerate the cross. It is one of the insignia of the ordained clergy. A priest or a bishop always holds it in his right hand and offers it to the faithful who kiss it with deep recollective piety.
The faithful use the cross as a pious decoration and understand its devotional value. They proclaim their love for it in various ways. Primarily, a cross is attached to a cord or fine chain, and is worn around the neck by all Christians from childhood until death. The faithful also adorn their clothes and ornaments with marks of the cross. They bear cross-shaped tattoos on their foreheads, their chests, around their necks and their arms.
After death, a cross made out from wood, metal or stone is placed over graves to show that the cross is not only a symbol of death and suffering, but also a sign of resurrection and life.
Those who use the cross with out piety and only for its decorative value have lost its true meaning. Crosses used in this manner are as worthless as the crosses used to crucify the two convicted robbers on either side of Jesus. They had no healing powers.
The true, genuine and holy veneration, the grandeur, magnificence and solemnity with which Eritrean Christians treat the cross will never be realized by any one unless he/she witnesses the ancient and ageless holiday of MESQUEL(Cross).
ርሑስ በዓል መስቀል።
May the love of the Cross be with all of us!!!!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
On the Spiritual Means...
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom 8:14).
He leads them through certain means which if they follow, they will take part in the work of the Holy Spirit and be in the communion of the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14).
We call these means ‘The Spiritual Means’ or the means of grace, that is, the means through which the grace of God works or with which it works... In this book, I shall speak to you about eleven of these spiritual means. They are:
Prayer,
The Holy Bible,
Reading the lives of the saints,
Contemplation,
Spiritual Practices,
Giving account of oneself,
Confession,
Holy Communion,
Fasting,
Alms Giving
and Service...These means are essential for every person.
No matter how high the spiritual level of a person may be, he could never survive without these means. They are his continual spiritual food. If he kept away from them or neglected practising them, the heat of his spirit will become lukewarm and he will expose himself to many dangerous combats...The material of this book is the fruit of lectures that were given in the sixties, either in Cairo, Alexandria or Damanhour. Parts of these lectures were published in “El-Keraza” magazine and “Watany” newspaper. We have collected all these lectures in order to publish this book ... There is no doubt that a separate book could be written on each chapter, but we wanted to present all these topics to you in a concentrated way. Try to apply and practise these discussed topics in your life. May God be with you, guiding your steps towards Him.
November 1992 Pope Shenouda III
For more information on the Spiritual Means, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20means.pdf
He leads them through certain means which if they follow, they will take part in the work of the Holy Spirit and be in the communion of the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14).
We call these means ‘The Spiritual Means’ or the means of grace, that is, the means through which the grace of God works or with which it works... In this book, I shall speak to you about eleven of these spiritual means. They are:
Prayer,
The Holy Bible,
Reading the lives of the saints,
Contemplation,
Spiritual Practices,
Giving account of oneself,
Confession,
Holy Communion,
Fasting,
Alms Giving
and Service...These means are essential for every person.
No matter how high the spiritual level of a person may be, he could never survive without these means. They are his continual spiritual food. If he kept away from them or neglected practising them, the heat of his spirit will become lukewarm and he will expose himself to many dangerous combats...The material of this book is the fruit of lectures that were given in the sixties, either in Cairo, Alexandria or Damanhour. Parts of these lectures were published in “El-Keraza” magazine and “Watany” newspaper. We have collected all these lectures in order to publish this book ... There is no doubt that a separate book could be written on each chapter, but we wanted to present all these topics to you in a concentrated way. Try to apply and practise these discussed topics in your life. May God be with you, guiding your steps towards Him.
November 1992 Pope Shenouda III
For more information on the Spiritual Means, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20means.pdf
Thursday, July 10, 2008
On the Sprititual Man...
THE IMAGE OF GOD
Perhaps this question is addressed to every person: Who are you? What is man? Some would answer: Man is a body, soul and spirit. Another would answer : Man is a living, sensible, talking, free, wishful creature. Others say - with a sense of humility - that Man is dust and ashes, as our father Abraham said about himself (Gen 18:27). All this is said about any man, then what is the accurate answer? We say it is the definition of the Spiritual Man according to the Holy Bible: HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD
This is what God said in the History of Creation: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.” (Gen 1:26,27).
Perhaps man in his divine image was what philosopher Diogenes was searching for, or what the intellectuals mean by the word “Superman”. Of course, by the divine image, it is not meant that man resembles God in His Divine qualities, such as eternity, infinity and the power to create! Not to be thought of! But it means the relative qualities such as:
THE CREATION OF MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The spiritual man - before the fall - was innocent and simple. He did not know sin at all. I mean our parents Adam and Eve before the fall, when they were both naked and were not ashamed. (Gen 2:25). They have not yet eaten from the tree of life and therefore they did not know evil. They were like the innocent children, whom Jesus loved and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt 18:3). The serpent deceived and lied to our mother Eve who did not doubt the
serpent’s words because she did not know lying, deceit or suspicion. Such words were not in her intellectual dictionary at that time.
MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN HOLINESS:
Indeed how beautiful were the times when Adam and Eve were holy before the fall. But, what happened was that by sin man lost his holiness and accordingly he lost his divine image. Man became captive to a strange duality which still accompanies him: good and evil, lawful and unlawful and what follows that of life and death.
Thus, God said to him: “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil... blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you may live” (Deut 30:15-19). And as man lost his divine image by the loss of holiness, he lost purity and simplicity and also lost the knowledge of his divine image...
Then came The Lord Jesus Christ “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and returned to us, by His incarnation, the image of God to try and be similar to it...
How can the spiritual man reach such image? The beloved St John said: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked ” (1 Jn 2:6). By this, God selected His saints... to be conformed to the image of “His Son” (Rom 8:29). If man acted up accordingly on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ - in the general resurrection - “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil 3:21).
For more information on the Spiritual Man, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20%20man.pdf
Perhaps this question is addressed to every person: Who are you? What is man? Some would answer: Man is a body, soul and spirit. Another would answer : Man is a living, sensible, talking, free, wishful creature. Others say - with a sense of humility - that Man is dust and ashes, as our father Abraham said about himself (Gen 18:27). All this is said about any man, then what is the accurate answer? We say it is the definition of the Spiritual Man according to the Holy Bible: HE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD
This is what God said in the History of Creation: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.” (Gen 1:26,27).
Perhaps man in his divine image was what philosopher Diogenes was searching for, or what the intellectuals mean by the word “Superman”. Of course, by the divine image, it is not meant that man resembles God in His Divine qualities, such as eternity, infinity and the power to create! Not to be thought of! But it means the relative qualities such as:
THE CREATION OF MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The spiritual man - before the fall - was innocent and simple. He did not know sin at all. I mean our parents Adam and Eve before the fall, when they were both naked and were not ashamed. (Gen 2:25). They have not yet eaten from the tree of life and therefore they did not know evil. They were like the innocent children, whom Jesus loved and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt 18:3). The serpent deceived and lied to our mother Eve who did not doubt the
serpent’s words because she did not know lying, deceit or suspicion. Such words were not in her intellectual dictionary at that time.
MAN WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD IN HOLINESS:
Indeed how beautiful were the times when Adam and Eve were holy before the fall. But, what happened was that by sin man lost his holiness and accordingly he lost his divine image. Man became captive to a strange duality which still accompanies him: good and evil, lawful and unlawful and what follows that of life and death.
Thus, God said to him: “I have set before you today life and good, death and evil... blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you may live” (Deut 30:15-19). And as man lost his divine image by the loss of holiness, he lost purity and simplicity and also lost the knowledge of his divine image...
Then came The Lord Jesus Christ “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15) and returned to us, by His incarnation, the image of God to try and be similar to it...
How can the spiritual man reach such image? The beloved St John said: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked ” (1 Jn 2:6). By this, God selected His saints... to be conformed to the image of “His Son” (Rom 8:29). If man acted up accordingly on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ - in the general resurrection - “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil 3:21).
For more information on the Spiritual Man, follow this link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/The%20spiritual%20%20man.pdf
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
On Genesis...
THE WORD OF GOD AND HUMAN LIFE
+ The word of man expresses his thoughts and his own self. It is tied to his human existence, but is separated from his substance. In contrast, the Word of God is viewed by most religions as being eternal and inseparable from God, that is, it is not a supplemental matter ... there was never a time when God was without His Word.
Our belief is that God's Word is the Living God; He is not like man who articulates sounds and human letters.
+ Because of His love for man and his value for human life, God spoke to us through the centuries in our own human language; His Holy Spirit filled the prophets with specific words to guide us to truth, save us from wrong, and to
record His Living Word with human culture so that It may be understood. Differences in writing style assure us of God's sanctity and of His appreciation for human culture, which He didn't scorn but used to express His Eternal
Word.
ITS PURPOSE
1 - God desires that we encounter Him in mutual love: to see Him, to hear Him, to talk with Him and to embrace Him, accepting His glory in us. His Word is not a monologue, that is, a one way conversation from God directed towards us, but a dialogue of love between God and man, and man and God. This is what the dialogue between Abram and God clearly shows us (Genesis 18:17-33).
2 - The Holy Scriptures are not just commandments, but divine promises that empower us. The Bible is not only for us to study, but to experience, to live,and to worship by It. Thus the Holy Scripture came down to us in a style that the illiterate could understand and the literate could admire. It does not cover scientific facts, yet It does not contradict them. The purpose of the Bible is to invite man into a complete life in God (2 Tim 3:16).
3 - In essence, the Bible acquaints us with the person of the Lord Christ as the Word in flesh with Whom we unite as a body with a head, and a bride with the Heavenly Groom Who carries us into the arms of the Father. Both the
New and Old Testaments concentrate on the Lord Christ who saves us from our human nature, and sanctifies and renews us with His Holy Spirit and by His Blood on the cross.
ITS ATTRIBUTES
1 - The Bible is a book unique in kind: it includes history, poetry, literature, wisdom, prophecy and messages - written by prophets, philosophers, wise men, kings, shepherds, and fishermen in different eras that span 16 centuries, and yet is homogenous in thought and purpose - capable of translation into the all world's languages without losing its vitality. It was written by over 35 people inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2 - The greatness of the Holy Bible is glorified by the fulfillment of its prophecies after thousands of years with distinct accuracy and without doubt. It is possible to find a complete description of the Lord Christ, His life, and His divine work from the Old Testament alone.
3 - Creation is described simply but in detail, not in the form of the fairy tales that, without exception, had filled the world; even modern scientific discoveries have come to agree with what is contained in the Bible.
4 - Every year archeological discoveries verify the historical events found in the Bible even those that had been doubted by some researchers.
For more on Gensis, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Genesisc.pdf
+ The word of man expresses his thoughts and his own self. It is tied to his human existence, but is separated from his substance. In contrast, the Word of God is viewed by most religions as being eternal and inseparable from God, that is, it is not a supplemental matter ... there was never a time when God was without His Word.
Our belief is that God's Word is the Living God; He is not like man who articulates sounds and human letters.
+ Because of His love for man and his value for human life, God spoke to us through the centuries in our own human language; His Holy Spirit filled the prophets with specific words to guide us to truth, save us from wrong, and to
record His Living Word with human culture so that It may be understood. Differences in writing style assure us of God's sanctity and of His appreciation for human culture, which He didn't scorn but used to express His Eternal
Word.
ITS PURPOSE
1 - God desires that we encounter Him in mutual love: to see Him, to hear Him, to talk with Him and to embrace Him, accepting His glory in us. His Word is not a monologue, that is, a one way conversation from God directed towards us, but a dialogue of love between God and man, and man and God. This is what the dialogue between Abram and God clearly shows us (Genesis 18:17-33).
2 - The Holy Scriptures are not just commandments, but divine promises that empower us. The Bible is not only for us to study, but to experience, to live,and to worship by It. Thus the Holy Scripture came down to us in a style that the illiterate could understand and the literate could admire. It does not cover scientific facts, yet It does not contradict them. The purpose of the Bible is to invite man into a complete life in God (2 Tim 3:16).
3 - In essence, the Bible acquaints us with the person of the Lord Christ as the Word in flesh with Whom we unite as a body with a head, and a bride with the Heavenly Groom Who carries us into the arms of the Father. Both the
New and Old Testaments concentrate on the Lord Christ who saves us from our human nature, and sanctifies and renews us with His Holy Spirit and by His Blood on the cross.
ITS ATTRIBUTES
1 - The Bible is a book unique in kind: it includes history, poetry, literature, wisdom, prophecy and messages - written by prophets, philosophers, wise men, kings, shepherds, and fishermen in different eras that span 16 centuries, and yet is homogenous in thought and purpose - capable of translation into the all world's languages without losing its vitality. It was written by over 35 people inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2 - The greatness of the Holy Bible is glorified by the fulfillment of its prophecies after thousands of years with distinct accuracy and without doubt. It is possible to find a complete description of the Lord Christ, His life, and His divine work from the Old Testament alone.
3 - Creation is described simply but in detail, not in the form of the fairy tales that, without exception, had filled the world; even modern scientific discoveries have come to agree with what is contained in the Bible.
4 - Every year archeological discoveries verify the historical events found in the Bible even those that had been doubted by some researchers.
For more on Gensis, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Genesisc.pdf
Monday, July 7, 2008
On the Divinity of Christ...
The Divinity of Christ is one of the most important and vital subjects in the Christian doctrine. Many heresies rose against it in various eras, and the Church confronted them and replied to them. The most dangerous was the Arian Heresy which reached its peak in the fourth century and led to many Ecumenical Councils being held. The first Ecumenical Council in history was held in 325 A.D., attended by 318 bishops from all the churches of the world. Arius and his heresy were refuted, and the Christian Creed was formulated. Nevertheless, the residues of Arianism have continued to spread even till this day.
Many atheist philosophers and scientists rose against the Divinity of Christ. The heresy of Jehovah's Witnesses rose against the Divinity of Christ. It was allegedly founded, in Pennsylvania, America, in 1872. Then in 1909 its headquarters moved to New York where a community was established under the name of "Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society". They published many books, the most important of which were: Let God Be True, The Truth Shall Set You Free, The Harp of God, The Rich Man, Deliverance, Creation, The New Heaven and the New Earth, Government and Peace, Protection, Reconciliation, and various other publications called Tracts.
In the following pages, we will try to discuss the subject of the Divinity of Christ in a positive light, and prove this fundamental doctrine from the Holy Bible. We will discuss all the objections and reply to them in due course. Many of the saints faced these objections and were contemporary with the Arian Movement. Among them were:
(1) Saint Athanasius the Apostolic who wrote Contra Arianos,
(2) Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers who wrote a treatise against the Arians called De Trinitate,
(3) Saint Basil the Great,
(4) Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa,
(5) Saint Gregory Theologus of Nazianzum who wrote theological treatises and
(6) Saint Cyril of Jerusalem who delivered lectures to the catechumens.
In our research on the Divinity of Christ, we will give proofs which will include clear verses pertaining to His Divinity with respect to:
(1) Him being the Logos (the Word)
(2) His relation with the Holy Spirit
(3) His relation with Heaven
(4) His relation with the Father
(5) Him being the Only Son
(6) Him being the Only Son of God
(7) Him being the Lord
(8) Him being the Redeemer and Saviour
(9) The belief in Him
(10) His Divine qualities
(11) His authority over all Creation
(12) His miracles
For more information on the Divinity of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Divinity%20of%20christ.pdf
Many atheist philosophers and scientists rose against the Divinity of Christ. The heresy of Jehovah's Witnesses rose against the Divinity of Christ. It was allegedly founded, in Pennsylvania, America, in 1872. Then in 1909 its headquarters moved to New York where a community was established under the name of "Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society". They published many books, the most important of which were: Let God Be True, The Truth Shall Set You Free, The Harp of God, The Rich Man, Deliverance, Creation, The New Heaven and the New Earth, Government and Peace, Protection, Reconciliation, and various other publications called Tracts.
In the following pages, we will try to discuss the subject of the Divinity of Christ in a positive light, and prove this fundamental doctrine from the Holy Bible. We will discuss all the objections and reply to them in due course. Many of the saints faced these objections and were contemporary with the Arian Movement. Among them were:
(1) Saint Athanasius the Apostolic who wrote Contra Arianos,
(2) Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers who wrote a treatise against the Arians called De Trinitate,
(3) Saint Basil the Great,
(4) Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa,
(5) Saint Gregory Theologus of Nazianzum who wrote theological treatises and
(6) Saint Cyril of Jerusalem who delivered lectures to the catechumens.
In our research on the Divinity of Christ, we will give proofs which will include clear verses pertaining to His Divinity with respect to:
(1) Him being the Logos (the Word)
(2) His relation with the Holy Spirit
(3) His relation with Heaven
(4) His relation with the Father
(5) Him being the Only Son
(6) Him being the Only Son of God
(7) Him being the Lord
(8) Him being the Redeemer and Saviour
(9) The belief in Him
(10) His Divine qualities
(11) His authority over all Creation
(12) His miracles
For more information on the Divinity of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Divinity%20of%20christ.pdf
Sunday, July 6, 2008
On the Nature of Christ...
The Lord Jesus Christ is God Himself, the Incarnate Logos. Who took to Himself a perfect manhood. His Divine nature is one with his human nature yet without mingling, confusion or alteration; a complete Hypostatic Union. Words are inadequate to describe this union. It was said, that without controversy, "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, (1 Tim. 3:16).
As this union is permanent, never divided nor separated, we say in the liturgy that His Godhead never departed from His manhood for a single moment nor even for a twinkle of an eye. The Divine nature (God the Word) was united with the human nature which He took of the Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit purified and sanctified the Virgin's womb so that the Child to whom she gave birth would inherit nothing of the original sin; the flesh formed of her blood was united with the Only-Begotten Son. This unity took place from the first moment of the Holy Pregnancy in the Virgin's womb. As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-inside the Virgin's womb, one nature was formed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" as St. Cyril called it.
The Holy Church did not find an expression more reliable, deep and precise than that which was used by St. Cyril the Great, and which St. Athanasius the Apostolic used before him. Both of them were true leaders in the theological field worldwide.
When I participated in the dialogue arranged by the ProOriente group in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 between the Roman Catholic Church and the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the Nature of Christ, the point of
discussion was St. Cyril's expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou
Sesarkwmene).
After the schism which took place in the year 451 AD, when the Coptic Orthodox Church rejected the motions of the Council of Chalcedon and its theological struggles, we were called "Monophysites" that is, those who believe in the "One Nature".
Sharing our belief are the Syrians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians and the Indians; who were also called "NonChalcedonian" Orthodox Churches. On the other hand, the Chalcedonian Catholic and Greek Churches "The Roman Orthodox" believe in the two natures of Christ; the Protestant Churches also hold this belief. Consequently, these churches are known as "Diophysites" -
believers in the two natures of Christ.
The Roman - or Chalcedonian - Orthodox Churches include those of Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania,
Hungary and Serbia as well as the Roman Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, America and the St. Catherine
Monastery in the Sinai desert.
The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughout certain periods of history. Consequently, the Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted because of their belief, especially during the period which started from the Council of Chalcedon held in 451 AD and continued to the conquest of the Arabs in Egypt and Syria (about 641 AD).
For more on the Nature of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf
As this union is permanent, never divided nor separated, we say in the liturgy that His Godhead never departed from His manhood for a single moment nor even for a twinkle of an eye. The Divine nature (God the Word) was united with the human nature which He took of the Virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit purified and sanctified the Virgin's womb so that the Child to whom she gave birth would inherit nothing of the original sin; the flesh formed of her blood was united with the Only-Begotten Son. This unity took place from the first moment of the Holy Pregnancy in the Virgin's womb. As a result of the unity of both natures-the Divine and the human-inside the Virgin's womb, one nature was formed out of both: "The One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" as St. Cyril called it.
The Holy Church did not find an expression more reliable, deep and precise than that which was used by St. Cyril the Great, and which St. Athanasius the Apostolic used before him. Both of them were true leaders in the theological field worldwide.
When I participated in the dialogue arranged by the ProOriente group in Vienna, Austria in September 1971 between the Roman Catholic Church and the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the Nature of Christ, the point of
discussion was St. Cyril's expression "One Nature of God the Incarnate Logos" (Mia Physis Tou Theou Logou
Sesarkwmene).
After the schism which took place in the year 451 AD, when the Coptic Orthodox Church rejected the motions of the Council of Chalcedon and its theological struggles, we were called "Monophysites" that is, those who believe in the "One Nature".
Sharing our belief are the Syrians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians and the Indians; who were also called "NonChalcedonian" Orthodox Churches. On the other hand, the Chalcedonian Catholic and Greek Churches "The Roman Orthodox" believe in the two natures of Christ; the Protestant Churches also hold this belief. Consequently, these churches are known as "Diophysites" -
believers in the two natures of Christ.
The Roman - or Chalcedonian - Orthodox Churches include those of Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania,
Hungary and Serbia as well as the Roman Orthodox Churches of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, America and the St. Catherine
Monastery in the Sinai desert.
The term "Monophysites" used for the believers in the One Nature has been intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted throughout certain periods of history. Consequently, the Coptic and the Syrian Churches in particular were cruelly persecuted because of their belief, especially during the period which started from the Council of Chalcedon held in 451 AD and continued to the conquest of the Arabs in Egypt and Syria (about 641 AD).
For more on the Nature of Christ, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf
Saturday, July 5, 2008
On Repentance...
As sin is separation from God, repentance then is returning to God. God says: “Return to me, and I will return to you” (Mal 3:7). When the prodigal son repented, he returned to his father (Luke 15:18-20). True repentance is a human longing to the origin from which it was taken. It is the desire of a heart that stayed away from God, and felt that it cannot go any further away.
For as sin is disputing with God, so repentance is reconciliation with God. This is what our teacher Saint Paul stated about his apostolic work, saying: “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading by us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God” but through it God returns and dwells in the human heart transforming it to a heaven. As for those non-repentant, how can God dwell in their hearts while the sin is dwelling therein? The Bible says, “What communion has light with darkness?”(2 Cor 6:14).
Repentance is also a spiritual awakening. The sinful person is unaware of his state. The Bible says to him: “that now it is high time to awake out of sleep”(Rom 13:11). By this context, repentance is the return of a person to himself. Or the return of ones self to its original sensitivity, the return of the heart to its fervour and the return of the conscience to its work. It is justly said about the prodigal son in his repentance: “He came to himself” (Luke 15:17). He then came back to his alertness, to his correct thinking and to his spiritual understanding.
For as sin is regarded as spiritual death, just as the Bible says about sinners that they are: “dead in trespasses” (Eph 2:5), then repentance is transfer from death to life according to the expression of St. John the Evangelist (1 John 3:14). St. Paul the apostle says about this: “Awake, you who sleep; Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph 5:14). St. James the apostle confirms the same meaning by saying: “he who turns a sinner from the ‘error’ of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins”(James 5:20). Repentance is resurrection for the spirit, because the death of the spirit is separation of the spirit from God, just as St. Augustine said:‘Repentance is a new pure heart, which God gives to the sinners to love Him with’. It is a divine act performed by God inside the person, according to His divine promise which says, “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, I will cleanse you from all your filthiness.... I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.... and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgements and do them” (Ezek 36:25-27).
For more on Repentance, follow this link: https://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Repentan.pdf
For as sin is disputing with God, so repentance is reconciliation with God. This is what our teacher Saint Paul stated about his apostolic work, saying: “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading by us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God” but through it God returns and dwells in the human heart transforming it to a heaven. As for those non-repentant, how can God dwell in their hearts while the sin is dwelling therein? The Bible says, “What communion has light with darkness?”(2 Cor 6:14).
Repentance is also a spiritual awakening. The sinful person is unaware of his state. The Bible says to him: “that now it is high time to awake out of sleep”(Rom 13:11). By this context, repentance is the return of a person to himself. Or the return of ones self to its original sensitivity, the return of the heart to its fervour and the return of the conscience to its work. It is justly said about the prodigal son in his repentance: “He came to himself” (Luke 15:17). He then came back to his alertness, to his correct thinking and to his spiritual understanding.
For as sin is regarded as spiritual death, just as the Bible says about sinners that they are: “dead in trespasses” (Eph 2:5), then repentance is transfer from death to life according to the expression of St. John the Evangelist (1 John 3:14). St. Paul the apostle says about this: “Awake, you who sleep; Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph 5:14). St. James the apostle confirms the same meaning by saying: “he who turns a sinner from the ‘error’ of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins”(James 5:20). Repentance is resurrection for the spirit, because the death of the spirit is separation of the spirit from God, just as St. Augustine said:‘Repentance is a new pure heart, which God gives to the sinners to love Him with’. It is a divine act performed by God inside the person, according to His divine promise which says, “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, I will cleanse you from all your filthiness.... I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.... and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgements and do them” (Ezek 36:25-27).
For more on Repentance, follow this link: https://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Repentan.pdf
Friday, July 4, 2008
On Discipleship...
The Christian life is a life of discipleship.
Everyone who believes in Christ, is called to be His disciple.
Christ was called 'the Teacher', and 'the Good Teacher', being His disciple is something for all Christians to claim, Jesus had His special disciples who were called "His own" (John 13: 1). These were the men whom He prepared for ministering the word (Acts 6:4). The Bible says about them that: "He had called His twelve disciples to [Him], He gave them power [over] unclean spirits," (Matt. 10:1).
It says in the Sermon on the Mount: "His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them," (Matt.5:1-2). And when He wanted to celebrate the Passover, He sent two of His disciples to say that, " The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples? " (Mark 14:13-14).
The followers of John the Baptist were like wise called to be John's disciples. It says in the Bible that once, " Then there arose a dispute between [some] of John's disciples and the Jews about purification." (John 3:25). And on another occasion, the disciples of John came to the Lord Jesus Christ saying: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" (Matt. 9:14).
The Pharisees used to call themselves the disciples of Moses,which is why, in a debate between the Jews and the man who had been born blind, whose sight the Lord restored, the Jews said: "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples." (John9:28). We observe that preaching the gospel was taken to mean making disciples. When the Lord sent His disciples to preach the gospel, He said to them: "... Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; " (Matt. 28:19-20). And when Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe, it was said that, " And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, " (Acts 14:21).
For more on Discipleship, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/disciplenship.pdf
Everyone who believes in Christ, is called to be His disciple.
Christ was called 'the Teacher', and 'the Good Teacher', being His disciple is something for all Christians to claim, Jesus had His special disciples who were called "His own" (John 13: 1). These were the men whom He prepared for ministering the word (Acts 6:4). The Bible says about them that: "He had called His twelve disciples to [Him], He gave them power [over] unclean spirits," (Matt. 10:1).
It says in the Sermon on the Mount: "His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them," (Matt.5:1-2). And when He wanted to celebrate the Passover, He sent two of His disciples to say that, " The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples? " (Mark 14:13-14).
The followers of John the Baptist were like wise called to be John's disciples. It says in the Bible that once, " Then there arose a dispute between [some] of John's disciples and the Jews about purification." (John 3:25). And on another occasion, the disciples of John came to the Lord Jesus Christ saying: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" (Matt. 9:14).
The Pharisees used to call themselves the disciples of Moses,which is why, in a debate between the Jews and the man who had been born blind, whose sight the Lord restored, the Jews said: "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples." (John9:28). We observe that preaching the gospel was taken to mean making disciples. When the Lord sent His disciples to preach the gospel, He said to them: "... Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; " (Matt. 28:19-20). And when Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe, it was said that, " And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, " (Acts 14:21).
For more on Discipleship, follow this link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/disciplenship.pdf
Thursday, July 3, 2008
On Faith...
Faith is not merely adopting a set of beliefs that you may say in the “Creed”, but a way of life or adherence to that which leads to life.
To what benefit is believing in God without having a relationship with him, obeying and loving Him?
In addition, what is the benefit of believing in eternity and in life after death if one does not prepare for it by repentance, spiritual vigil, and loving God?
And to what benefit is believing in virtues if one does not live them? Therefore there is a big difference between theoretical faith which does not save the soul, and practical faith, the fruits of which are evident in one's life.
St. Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves” (2 Cor.13:5).
Not everyone who says he believes has faith, but is measured according to God's saying “You will know them by their fruits”(Matt. 7:16).
There are those who claim to have faith, but have neither the heart nor the life of a believer. So what then is the life of a believer?
The life of faith is linked with peace, tranquillity and lack of fear, for when you become afraid, then the Lord will say to you“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31).
The life of a believer is also associated with purity of behaviour, for the believer feels the presence of God, who sees, hears and records all that he does. For this reason the believer feels ashamed and afraid of wrong doing in front of God.
The life of a believer is a life of submission to the will of God. Having faith that God is the maker of all things, and all that He permits to happen is for our own good. In this way, God’s children live in peace, happiness and satisfaction with all that God grants them.
The life of faith does not believe anything is impossible for the Lord, who said, “All things are possible to him who believes”(Mark 9:23).
Therefore the believer does not quiver in times of distress, but believes wholeheartedly that God has many solutions, and will interfere to fulfil His will.
The believer does not enter into an argument with God about His doing, but accepts all things and confidence in God's wisdom and love.
The believer concentrates on the unseen than the visible things,“For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).
The heroes of faith are not only those who defended their faith,but also those who lived a fruitful life of faith that worked in love.
For more on Faith, follow the link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/faith.pdf
To what benefit is believing in God without having a relationship with him, obeying and loving Him?
In addition, what is the benefit of believing in eternity and in life after death if one does not prepare for it by repentance, spiritual vigil, and loving God?
And to what benefit is believing in virtues if one does not live them? Therefore there is a big difference between theoretical faith which does not save the soul, and practical faith, the fruits of which are evident in one's life.
St. Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves” (2 Cor.13:5).
Not everyone who says he believes has faith, but is measured according to God's saying “You will know them by their fruits”(Matt. 7:16).
There are those who claim to have faith, but have neither the heart nor the life of a believer. So what then is the life of a believer?
The life of faith is linked with peace, tranquillity and lack of fear, for when you become afraid, then the Lord will say to you“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31).
The life of a believer is also associated with purity of behaviour, for the believer feels the presence of God, who sees, hears and records all that he does. For this reason the believer feels ashamed and afraid of wrong doing in front of God.
The life of a believer is a life of submission to the will of God. Having faith that God is the maker of all things, and all that He permits to happen is for our own good. In this way, God’s children live in peace, happiness and satisfaction with all that God grants them.
The life of faith does not believe anything is impossible for the Lord, who said, “All things are possible to him who believes”(Mark 9:23).
Therefore the believer does not quiver in times of distress, but believes wholeheartedly that God has many solutions, and will interfere to fulfil His will.
The believer does not enter into an argument with God about His doing, but accepts all things and confidence in God's wisdom and love.
The believer concentrates on the unseen than the visible things,“For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).
The heroes of faith are not only those who defended their faith,but also those who lived a fruitful life of faith that worked in love.
For more on Faith, follow the link: http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/faith.pdf
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
On Fasting...
Fasting is the earliest commandment known to mankind, for God commanded our ancestor Adam to refrain from eating a certain fruit from a certain tree (Gen 2:16,17) but allowed him to eat from the rest.
In this way, God set for the body certain limits beyond which it should not go. Thus, man did not have absolute freedom to take whatever he laid eyes on and whatever he desired. He had to abstain from certain things and control his inclination towards them. Thus since the very beginning, man has had to control his body. A tree may be “good for food and ... pleasant to the eyes” (Gen3:6) and yet one must turn away from it.
By abstaining from food, man rises above the level of the body and above matter, and this is the wisdom behind fasting. Had the first man succeeded in triumphing over his bodily desire for food, and controlled his bodily senses that saw the tree as an appetising sight, it would have proven that his soul had overcome his bodily desires and he would have been worthy to eat from the Tree of Life.
Nevertheless, his own body, which dominated over him, defeated him. Man went on committing several other bodily sins, one after the other, until he was condemned to walk after the flesh and not the spirit. (Rom 8:1).
Then the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore man to his initial status. Since man had erred into the sin of eating the forbidden fruit by obeying his body, Christ's first triumph over temptation addressed this particular point, to overcome the desire for food in general and over that which was legitimate.
For more on fasting follow the link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/fasting.pdf
In this way, God set for the body certain limits beyond which it should not go. Thus, man did not have absolute freedom to take whatever he laid eyes on and whatever he desired. He had to abstain from certain things and control his inclination towards them. Thus since the very beginning, man has had to control his body. A tree may be “good for food and ... pleasant to the eyes” (Gen3:6) and yet one must turn away from it.
By abstaining from food, man rises above the level of the body and above matter, and this is the wisdom behind fasting. Had the first man succeeded in triumphing over his bodily desire for food, and controlled his bodily senses that saw the tree as an appetising sight, it would have proven that his soul had overcome his bodily desires and he would have been worthy to eat from the Tree of Life.
Nevertheless, his own body, which dominated over him, defeated him. Man went on committing several other bodily sins, one after the other, until he was condemned to walk after the flesh and not the spirit. (Rom 8:1).
Then the Lord Jesus Christ came to restore man to his initial status. Since man had erred into the sin of eating the forbidden fruit by obeying his body, Christ's first triumph over temptation addressed this particular point, to overcome the desire for food in general and over that which was legitimate.
For more on fasting follow the link:
http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/fasting.pdf
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
More on the Church
Biblical canon
The Canon of the Tewahedo Church is looser than for most other traditional Christian groups. The Eritrean and Ethiopian "narrow" Old Testament Canon includes the books found in the Septuagint accepted by the Orthodox plus Enoch, Jubilees, 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras, 3 books of Maccabees, and Psalm 151. However, their three books of the Maccabees are identical in title only, and quite different in content from those of the other Christian churches which include them. The order of the other books is somewhat different from other groups', as well. This Church also has a "broader canon" that includes more books.
Language
The divine services of the Eritrean Church are celebrated in the Ge'ez language, which has been the language of the Church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints (Abba Pantelewon, Abba Gerima (Isaac, or Yeshaq), Abba Aftse, Abba Guba, Abba Alef, Abba Yem’ata, Abba Liqanos, and Abba Sehma), who fled persecution by the Byzantine Emperor after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The Septuagint version was translated into Ge'ez. Sermons are delivered in the local language.
The Canon of the Tewahedo Church is looser than for most other traditional Christian groups. The Eritrean and Ethiopian "narrow" Old Testament Canon includes the books found in the Septuagint accepted by the Orthodox plus Enoch, Jubilees, 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras, 3 books of Maccabees, and Psalm 151. However, their three books of the Maccabees are identical in title only, and quite different in content from those of the other Christian churches which include them. The order of the other books is somewhat different from other groups', as well. This Church also has a "broader canon" that includes more books.
Language
The divine services of the Eritrean Church are celebrated in the Ge'ez language, which has been the language of the Church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints (Abba Pantelewon, Abba Gerima (Isaac, or Yeshaq), Abba Aftse, Abba Guba, Abba Alef, Abba Yem’ata, Abba Liqanos, and Abba Sehma), who fled persecution by the Byzantine Emperor after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The Septuagint version was translated into Ge'ez. Sermons are delivered in the local language.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
